March 22, 2006 - Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam
and Police Chief Sterling Owen today named Officer Greg Coker the
Officer of the Month for January 2006. Officer Coker has been with
the department since January 1990.

Chief Owen said that on January 10, 2006 at approximately 3:45 p.m.,
School Resource Officer Greg Coker was at Austin East High School
when a report of shots fired in the area was dispatched to all officers.
Several students quickly advised Officer Coker that the shots had
occurred from behind the school near Hembree Street. As Officer J.D.
Hopkins was responding, he observed a blue Ford Expedition fleeing
from the area. When Officer Coker attempted to approach the Expedition
after it had stopped due to traffic, the vehicle fled again. Both
Officer Coker and Hopkins followed the vehicle until the vehicle stopped
on Linden Ave and the driver fled from the vehicle.

Chief
Owen said, "As Officer Coker was apprehending one suspect, he
noticed a passenger in a car on Linden Avenue that was wanted for
questioning in a recent murder. Officer Coker, while still securing
his suspect, radioed to other officers the vehicle's description and
location of the possible murder suspect. As a result, that car was
stopped and the juvenile murder suspect was apprehended."

In addition to the murder suspect arrest, both suspects from the
Expedition were also apprehended without incident. The three suspects
arrested included:

Mayor Haslam said, "Officer Coker showed a tremendous dedication
to his job and to the safety of our citizens. We commend him for
his actions that resulted in the arrest of three suspects."

Chief Owen said, "Officer Coker exhibited tremendous focus
during a high stress level in the apprehension of one suspect while
still maintaining knowledge of his surroundings and relaying the
information on the wanted juvenile suspect to other officers. His
actions were instrumental in the capture of an individual who was
a danger to the community."

Officer Coker will receive a signed certificate from the Mayor and
Chief along with a free dinner from Ruby Tuesday Restaurant.